


God Save Gotham Academy

by IrwinLives



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Bullying, Enemies to Friends, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Enemies, Homophobic Language, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, M/M, NO CAPES, Romeo and Juliet References, Some Humor, Some Plot, Teen Romance, more like a high school what if?, some violence, well sorta
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2020-10-20 18:09:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20679701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IrwinLives/pseuds/IrwinLives
Summary: The streets had a bad rep. As far as Jason was concerned, you just had to know how to navigate them. To stay on your stoop. To not make any enemies, keep your head down. Don’t mess with the wrong people and you’d be fine. Jason knew how to navigate the streets. High school was a totally different matterA batboys Highschool AU and all that good stuff.





	1. Chapter 1

A new policy had been put in place moving children from different districts into separate schooling houses; hoping it would balance out the test scores. Jason would’ve just stayed at home, but there was a 'something something' about him needing to come here and do well or social services would break down his door. So he was here, in the “practically a prep school, but ‘charter’ makes us feel less douchey high.  
He went straight to the back of the room, moving to sit in the corner chair. Another kid made to take that seat and Jason stuck his hand out catching his eye and giving him a glare. Apparently that wasn’t what you were meant to do here because the kid practically started crying. He ran to the opposite side of the classroom and sat down, throwing Jason fearful glances over his shoulder. 

The class was Math. Jason liked Math, it was fun putting the numbers together and tearing them apart. Whatever was happening up on that board was not math.

The teacher after scribbling, and talking, and never letting up, turned around and pointed at Jason with the edge of her chalk.

“You in the back row can you tell me what the derivative of this equation is?” 

Jason just stared hoping she’d move on.  
She didn’t puckering up her lips and looking him down.  


“Hmm, are you one of the Narrow kids?" She finally asked.  
Jason nodded his head.  
“Alright are you familiar with integrals?”  
Jason gave a shrug.  
“Ok, then what’s the answer?”  


“Um” Jason’s eyes scanned across the classroom, the kid next to him was tapping innocently against his paper. The kid caught Jasons eye for a moment looking down at his desk and up again. On the top left corner, was written a large “e^4” Jason said to the teacher.  
The teacher barely nodded before moving on at her breakneck pace. 

\-- 

Jason found the boy during lunch. He was short and scrawny, wearing a baggy suit that only just fit the schools standards. He looked calmly at Jason while he approached. That was fair, on his streets Jason was one of the least dangerous things you could find, but with the way everyone else on the field was looking at him you’d assume he was feral.

“Hi” he said giving him a half-aborted wave, “I...” Jason wasn’t certain what he should say. The boy just stared at him “Well thanks" he started "for helping me in math I mean. You didn't have to, we just never really got that far in my old school." Jason gave a small smile. "I'm Jason" he finally said sticking out his hand. Tim gave him an assessing stare before slowly shaking his hand. 

"Tim" the kid finally said a small smile playing at his lips. "Don't worry about Ms. Laimare she seems tough but she's fine." Jason stuck his hands back deep into his pockets. "Actually, If you want I could help you out with..," Tim stopped talking while his eyes looked past Jason's shoulder. A tall boy marched over dressed up in a fresh pressed shirt with a smooth collar. 

“Timmers,” the new kid called out. Tim let out a sigh. “I think I left my English paper at your house you don’t happen to have it?”  
Jason was just watching while Tim shuffled through his bag. He pulled out a handful of pristine white papers. The big guy stepped forward “Oh, you're a lifesaver” he dropped his voice “Make sure this one sounds right, Mrs.Hudson was on my ass about the last one, If I don’t pass that class-”

“Yeah, you beat me up, make my mother cry.” Tim said with forced bravado. To Tim's credit he stared the kid straight in his eye as he said it. The boy grabbed at the papers, giving off a too-white smile. 

“Thanks Tim, Oh and one last thing Steph was telling me about how helpful you were with the fair prep.” Tim’s face went ashen “and I just wanted to make sure I got to thank you personally for being so kind to my girlfriend.”  
Nothing had really changed but the air felt thicker. Jason’s eyes flicked from Tim's pale face to the big guys meaty arms and hands held into fists. The big kid grabbed at Tim's collar further crumpling it.  


“Wow, seems to me” Jason said butting into the conversation “that Tim is a real good Samaritan here.” he motioned to the big guy “ helping out your girlfriend, saving my ass in Math.” He pushed himself between the two "Even _ bringing _ your paper all the way to school for you.” Jason slowly pulled Tim further behind him as he talked. The guy seemed startled by Jason's presence.  
__

_ __ _

_ __ _

“Who,” he said turning back to Tim, “is your friend here?” He gave Jason a smile.  
Jason flashed him a lot of teeth.

“Your the Narrows kid aren’t you?” The boy continued his attention newly focused. “I’d love to help you out, show you how the school works.” He reached out a hand to grip tightly on Jason's shoulder. “Things here are pretty different from the slums.” 

Tim was sending him a pretty clear don’t engage look with his eyes, handing him the answers. But suddenly Jason didn’t want to be another cheat. 

“Not all that different from the Narrows actually” Jason said good naturedly ”I mean, I'm seeing just as much trash.” Jason made a show of looking around the courtyard, before scowling back at the kid.  
The big guy let out a laugh. Puffing his chest out and staring Jason down.  
Jason sized him up, he was big, towering over Jason. Stronger too by the looks of it, but Jason knew how to fight big. Then again he was going to have to stick in this school for the foreseeable future, and it wouldn't be good to get in a fight on the first day.

“Your funny kid” The guy said, his voice starting to bristle. “But I don't think your mama taught you much respect.” He passively tapped at his chin. "Was she the one standing on the street corner by Monroe's." He let out a low whistle "real nice pair of legs on that one."  
Jason felt a hand grabbing at the back of his shirt trying to pull him away.  
No, Jason decided red tinging his vision, he should beat this guy into the Ground.  


“You should fuck off” he finally said. 

Big boys smile fell.  
They were practically breast to breast, Jason staring up at him and trying to think through any way he could win this, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. 

“Hey Dean what are you doing?” A new person asked.

“Saying hi to the new kid” Dean growled.

“Coach was asking after you,” his voice cut through the tension with a light tone. “Don’t know what its about but he seems pretty mad.” 

For the first time since meeting him Jason saw a look that wasn’t smarmy or stupid cross Deans face. He turned tail quick running away from Jason in the direction of the gym, leaving him with Tim and the new boy. Tim looked at the boy like he was a god, stars in his eyes.  
The boy looked at Tim giving him a once over. 

“Your Tom right?”  
Tim nodded enthusiastically.  
“And you are..?” The boy said turning to Jason.  
Before Jason could open his mouth, Tim was talking.  


“Jason Todd, started here today, previously attended Gotham east high school, where he ended the year with a 3.5 GPA and 5 citations on his permanent record. Placed here as part of Mayor Lieberman's ‘Better Kids, Better Tomorrow’ plan, although due to his school history they’ve put him on an immediate academic probation.” 

“Right” The boy said drawing out the word. He took a step back. “Well I’m Dick, Welcome to the school!” He tried to flash Jason a smile which Jason wasn’t in the mood to return.  
The smile died on his lips.  


“Sorry about Dean, he’s an ass” he was passively circling his hands as he spoke “but once you find your place G.A. can be pretty nice”  
He gave Jason an appraising look “You know, the football team is having tryouts soon you've got the right fire for it, you should come.” The goofy smile was back.  


It looked like he was going to try and put the hand back on his shoulder, and Jason grabbed at his wrist to stop him. If only for a moment Dick seemed decidedly still. Jason felt the watch on Dicks wrist, could feel the second hand slowly ticking by, while Dick was staring at him and his own pulse was getting caught up in Dick’s. With a second to look at him Jason had to admit that he was attractive. He had a few inches on Jason, and probably a few years too. It was being forced to look up to him, mixed in with the perfectly styled hair, and lazy smile that created a classically handsome figure.  


Then a group of people waved to him from across the field, and Dick tugged his hand back regaining his bounce.  
His eyes went over to his friends. “Aw well it was nice meeting you Jason,” he turned “Tom” and marched away with a skip in his step.. Jason followed him with his eyes as he rejoined his group. They began talking and he couldn’t hear them but he could read their lips easy enough. 

“What were you doing Dick?” The redhead asked. 

“Ah, nothing those freshman just looked like they could use a hand.”  
Jason was glaring at the group pretty hard.  


“Could use a muzzle is more like it” A ginger said looking Jason straight in the eyes.  


“Lay off, it ain’t easy being new.” 

“Where’s Dean?” A blonde chick piped up. 

“Sent him off to find Coach, he’s probably running laps now over being a nuisance.”  
She pursed her lips in disappointment, but to Jason she looked more relieved.

Jason fiddled with Dicks watch as he looked at the group walk away. He got itchy fingers when he was nervous, sue him. He snuck it into his pocket before Tim could notice.  


“You back on earth?” Jason asked looking at the stars dissipate from Tim's eyes. “How the fuck did you know all that?”  


“Um,” Tim chose now to look sheepish. “I’ve got access to the districts records, your file sort of stands out.”  


“Welcome to Gotham Academy,” Jason said mostly to himself “were the geeks know your street address.”  


“That gym fire was pretty impressive.” Tim said giving Jason a respectful look.  


Jason was beginning to blush.  
“Thanks”  
Tim nodded along.  
“Your names not actually Tom right?”  


“Nah, I’m Tim Drake.” He laughed putting his hands into his pockets.  


“And that?” pointing to Dick and his group.  


“Richard Grayson, but he goes by Dick.”  


“Dick's accurate, What type of guy ruins another man's fight.”  


“Pfft, your one to talk.” Tim laughed.  


“I didn’t stop a fight I stopped a homicide, big difference.” Jason said pointedly.  


“Sure” Tim laughed.  


“I can help you with that you know teach you some tricks to help with mister ‘ I put steroids in my breakfast cereal’. ” He pantomimed a punch.  


Tim shook his head “Nah I think I’ll stick with this” pointing one finger at his scalp.  


“Suit yourself ” Jason said with a small smile.  
Tim smiled back.  
For a moment the school didn’t feel so bad.  


\--

Milo was sitting on his stoop when Jason got back from school. Picking at the dirt under his fingernails.  
When Jason approached he tilted his head.  


“So Jay-Jay how’s it going at rich people school?”  
Jason hunched up his shoulders.  


“Fine.”  


"What are the girls like? I always thought the rich ones were spicy." Milo said, slowly standing up off the stoop. 

"No, I mean I don't know I didn't really notice." Jason said stumbling over his words. 

" Ah, Jay-Jay" Milo said patting his cheek " so young, so _ innocent _." Milo made the word sound dirty. 

Jason just wanted to change the subject. " There is this one kid, Tim. He seemed pretty cool." 

Milo let out a pout “Your not abandoning us are you?”  


“Nah man,” Jason tried forcing a laugh. “Actually, you were right almost everyone there's a bunch of rich assholes.”  
Out of the corner of his eye he saw other kids of the street take notice. Simon and Marco and Felipe began crowding around him.  


“Good cause we were gonna head downtown, could use a hand if you know what I’m saying.”  


“I don’t think I should, I’ve got…. homework.” He struggled to keep his voice even as Milo stared him down.  


“Rubbing shoulders with the trust fund kids and all of a sudden you think your too good for us.”  
Simon hissed punctuating it with a poke in the ribs.  


“Come on guys you know it's not that” Jason said backing up as Marco and Felipe moved closer. “I have to go. My mom..,” he trailed off  


"I'm sure Mrs.Todd would much appreciate us looking after her little boy." Milo said, wrapping a protective hand around Jason's shoulder. "This city can be a very dangerous place." 

"You're right guys. I'll come with, don't know what I was thinking." Jason said with a nervous smile. The gang looked unconvinced. 

Milo leaned forward “Who do you think you are Jason?” He wanted to move away but another step back and he’d run into Felipe and Marco. “Shiny Gotham let you into their pretty school, but at the end of the day you come back here. And when they kick you out you'll be back here. This is the place you were born, this is the place you die, don't forget it.” He finished the speech with a clash of his teeth.  


\--

They'd spent almost an hour in the park with nothing to show for it. None of them could pass for innocent anymore and whenever they stood to close people gave them wary looks. Nobody carried many valuables on them in the narrows, but normally you could find a pimp or lost tourist flashing their wealth in the street. Rubbing up against them all casual like, and it wasn't hard to take a bracelet or dig into their pockets, running off before they noticed. Jason had tried that with a tall woman rushing through the streets in a hurry. She was looking at him from the corner of her eye but Jason was desperate, so he ran forward to grab at her purse. She grabbed his arm, pushed him down, and kicked him with the pointed end of her high heel. The entire gang was rolling around laughing while she walked away.

"Ow" Jason mumbled, rubbing his side. Milo helped him get up, as the gang crowded around him. They teased him about while they walked back. 

“Is our little Jay-Jay losing his touch” Marco whined into his ear. 

“No” Jason growled out, spinning to try and land a punch on him. Marco dodged, Milo didn't. It hit him square in the cheek, with Milo needing to turn his head to spit out the blood. Milo was on him in a moment, pinning him to the ground, while a trail of blood still dribbled from his lip. 

"A day in that school is really turning you soft," Milo spit out. "Your punch was weak." 

"Shut up" Jason yelled rolling around to try and get out of his hold. Milo held him in place looking straight into Jason’s eyes. It sent a chill down his spine. Milo wasn’t tall and he wasn’t big, but there was a look to him that was purely wicked.  
Jason finally managed to push Milo off and stand back up. His hand reflexively went to his pocket to make sure the watch wasn't damaged. Milo's eyes followed the movement. Milo pushed himself back up crowding back against Jason. Jason couldn’t do much more than grimace when Milo’s hand reached into his pockets. He pulled out the watch, catching the light and reflecting it back across the street. Milo was quick to move it out of site, shoving it into his own jacket and hoping no one else in the crew noticed.  


“You know maybe Jay-Jay is onto something.” He turned to the rest of the kids. They eyed him suspiciously.  
Jason shouldn’t have taken the watch God he was stupid sometimes.  
“Maybe we’re all thinking about this the wrong way.” He raised his hands up in the air.  
“Jay-Jay has his hand in the cookie jar, we should all be celebrating.” He turned to face Jason. “What do you think?” It didn’t sound like much of a question.  


“Guys I can’t, if I get kicked out of this place, they'll put me back with CPS. My mom needs me.”  
A bit of desperation found its way into his voice.  


Milo glared “Jay-Jay we need you.” His voice dropped an octave. “I actually think you need to prove to everybody that your really with us here.” He straightened his back and tilted his head. “So what your going to do is take something real, something shiny and big that we can hear about in the news, that’ll prove to us all that you don’t care about those preppy bitches, that your still Narrows.” He patted Jason's cheek. “You bring it to us and we'll let you stay in the crew, and if you're still our sticky-fingered prince they won’t even catch you and you won’t have to worry about a thing.”

Everybody else seemed happy enough with the declaration moving off. Milo stayed around for a bit longer, just staring Jason down. “Remember, Shiny and Big.” He patted his Jacket pocket before leaving with the rest. 

Jason let out a long cool breath. His mother stumbled over to the doorway, opening it up for him.  


“Jason is that you, I heard voices.” Her eyes flickered around, and Jason could see that she wasn’t sure the voices had come from outside or in her head.  


“Everything's okay mom.” He said grabbing her hand and leading her back inside. “I’m going to start up on some food, why don’t you lay down.” She slowly nodded her head working her way inside on unsteady feet. Jason spared one last look into the dirty and shadowed street.

Everything would be okay he would make sure of it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A chapter about the triumphs and defeats, the epic highs and lows of high school football.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: this chapter contains non-consensual kissing and, underage drinking and smoking.

Jason had developed good instincts. Walking into a room he knew who was in power and who was just posturing. He could tell from a glance whether a cop was there for business, or there to blare his siren and show off his shiny badge before going on his way. So when Jason walked into that auditorium it didn’t take him more than a second to figure out who held the power. Jason with his home-done haircut, and stolen sneakers didn’t stand a chance. 

Dick Grayson on the other hand was doing handstands on the lunch table. The teachers didn’t even seem to mind it. The girls loved it, they guys made a game of trying to push him down. None of them could touch him and in the end he made a show of flipping onto his feet and doing a tiny bow.

Jason was looking at him. To be fair, everyone was looking at Dick, he sort of demanded it. It just so happened that he was the one who caught Dick’s eye. He flashed him a smile. A sweet trademark Grayson smile that was markedly intimate in the large auditorium.

Jason turned away with a scowl. Tim who normally noticed everything hadn’t noticed. Over the past couple weeks Jason had been hanging around Tim more. Friendship felt like a big word, it was a mutually favorable partnership. The way Jason saw it Tim, who was freaky smart, and honestly frightening without his coffee, was the most likely in the school to become some sort of white collar criminal, and having his back now would cover his ass from the blackmail ring that was sure to hit the school at some point. Normally, Dick doing anything was noticed by Tim, but standing right beside Dick was Stephanie pulling her hair up into a ponytail and than letting it drop in a big blonde wave down her back. She wasn’t really Jason’s type but he could definitely see the appeal.  


“You should ask her out.” Jason said with a nudge.  


“She has a boyfriend.” Tim replied dismissively.  


“Her boyfriends an asshole and you should ask her out.”  


Tim just shook his head, passively handing Jason his sandwich. Since they started sitting together Tim brought two lunches. He must've noticed how Jason never brought any food and without saying anything began bringing extras. Jason was too embarrassed to do anything except take the food. Tim began talking about classes and side projects, while Jason kept an eye on Dick and the rich kids. They always talked loud, smiled big and walked fast; Jason didn’t like it all. True to form Dean, who’s smile was always halfway to a sneer, got up and pushed his lunch tray passively in the direction of the trashcan, most of it ended up on the floor.  


“See,” Jason said with a mouth full of sandwich “Asshole.”  


Jason had spent the last few weeks searching the school for something valuable. He would feel bad if it wasn’t so goddamn hard. Before they let a Narrows kid in here they had hidden all the silverware. It was doubly irritating, to see the gold plated bannisters that were built into the building, or the intricate statutes in the field impossible to remove without being caught. With nothing more lucrative available, Jason began pickpocketing the student body. So far he’d gotten fifty dollars in assorted change, chapstick, three library cards, a receipt for new shoes, and a girl named Sylvia's number. He actually hadn’t stolen that one so much as had it handed to him, when he was trying to figure out if her necklace was shiny enough for Milo’s qualifications. She caught him staring, and sent her friend over with a note. He stumbled trying to explain himself while her friend walked away giggling. If you asked him, Jason kept it purely as a reminder to not be sloppy.  


Altogether, having been at the academy almost a month, it was a decidedly weak haul. Forget the fact that every teacher was watching him like a hawk, and the idea of trying to fence anything from the school was already giving him a migraine. Ultimately, Jason wasn’t sure he wanted to steal. Most of the kids left him alone, some like Tim or Dick even tried to be nice. He knew the place was reeking of privilege, and they were nice in the same way a dog was nice when it’s never been kicked, but it didn’t stop his conscience from messing with him. Jason even felt bad about the watch he’d taken from Dick. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do about Milo. He just needed to get something, simple and shiny, and then he could put this whole mess behind him. 

The next morning as Jason was packing up his bag, the english teacher, Mrs. Jefferey, motioned him over. Jason felt terribly nervous walking up to her desk. He hadn’t done anything wrong, at least not in this class. He tried standing still before her without fidgeting.  


“I was looking over your workbook Jason.” She stared at him through her glasses. “You show a deep understanding of the text, I'm impressed. Honestly you’re doing really well in this class. I don’t know if you’ve begun considering colleges yet but I think you should look into literature programs.”  
Jason, couldn’t keep looking her in the eyes. The words felt like they were stuck in the air. She sounded excited and Jason didn’t want to disappoint her. He took a deep breath.  


“My dad’s in prison, my mom’s not working, I’m not going to college.” He hesitantly raised his head up. Mrs. Jeffrey leaned back into her chair removing her glasses. She looked a bit sheepish.  


“Right, well I hope you won’t mind but I took the liberty of submitting your work to an english scholarship program.” She gave him a soft smile. “It’s actually why I called you over. You see, I just got the results and you've qualified.” She put up her hands for a moment. “Now this isn’t a complete full ride, and it requires that you continue to display an aptitude for english, and not have any academic discipline go on your permanent record moving forward but it’s definitely a foot in the door.” She gave a soft smile. “Stay out of trouble kid you’ve got a bright future ahead of you.”  


Jason had her words buzzing around his head for the rest of the day. Jason had never thought about college, no one in the Narrows did. Except now he couldn’t get the image of kids with book bags, smiling on pamphlet covers, out of his head. Jason was thinking of mahogany desks, giant libraries, and wizened old professors with salt and pepper mustaches. He imagined having a degree to hang up in an office, of forgetting the way hunger could build and build when you hadn’t eaten for days, or how the winter cold leaves you shivering under whatever spare blankets you can find in the smallest corner of the building, cause the stupid landlord didn’t bother to fix the heat. Imagined all of that being nothing more than a bad dream, the starting point for a bright limitless future. And his mom, once he had the cash Jason would send her to the best Rehab clinic in the world. She’d come out of it laughing and smiling the way Jason remembered her doing when he’d been a kid. Regaining that sharp glint in her eye, and the way of walking with her feet barely touching the ground. Jason’s dad and the drugs had ripped that away from her, but it wasn’t too late to change things. For the first time in a long time Jason felt hopeful.  


Coming home did nothing to dampen his good mood. His mother was looking surprisingly well. The neighbor must’ve stopped by because there was a bag of vegetables sitting on the counter. She was cutting up onions with her back to the door.  


“Oh, honey is that you?” She called out. If Jason ignored the slowness of her movements and the drowsy tone in her voice he could pretend that this was the old her.  


“Yeah it’s me mom.” He said dropping off his bag and sitting down at the counter. He said something he’d been muddling on the whole way over. “I’m thinking about getting a job in the city. Try and save up some money.”  


“Oh” his mom's face went Ashen. “Well you’ll have to ask your dad about that.” She turned her back to him to chop more onions.  


“Mom?” Jason started slowly. “Dad's got 60 to life,” he tilted his head “It’ll be a while before I can ask him.” His mother's hand abruptly stopped chopping  


“Right, no I know that I’m sorry. I don’t.... Sometimes It’s hard to really remember he’s gone.” She twisted her hands absently around each other and forced a smile back onto her face. “Maddy stopped by. Told me the high school is having its homecoming game tonight. I told her you and I would come.” She flashed Jason a small smile. “you’ve been spending so much time huddled up here working you probably haven’t seen your friends in weeks. This’ll be nice, getting us out of the house.”  
Jason didn’t want to dash her suddenly positive attitude, but his mom's recovery was shaky and a place like that could have a lot of temptation.  


“Mom,” Jason started slowly “I don’t think going out is a good idea. It’s just you are doing really good, we shouldn’t mess with that.” Jason tried to keep his voice soft. “We can still do something. I can read you from my workbooks. Ya know, my teacher said it was kinda good.” The smile was small but Jason hoped she realized it was real. The knife slammed down into the counter.  


“My God, Jason. It’s like we’ve forgotten who the parents is.” Her hands were moving around along with her voice. “I am your Mom, maybe I haven't been a very good one,” Her voice shook a bit before regaining it’s timber, “but I’ll decide if I can and can’t go outside. My God.” She was talking to herself as much as him. She pulled the knife out of the counter and resumed chopping onions, putting all her weight into the downcut of the knife. He flinched a bit when she looked at him. Her face fell all at once.  
“Oh baby, I’m sorry,” she ran over to him bringing her hands up to his cheeks and cradling his head in her palms.  


“No” Jason said, shaking off his unnecessary fear. “Let's go, you're right it’ll be fun.” 

It was Gotham Academy playing against East Gotham High. Bats versus Bulldogs. Already Simon and Marco were there loudly yelling for East Gothams victory. They stilled a bit when they saw him, eyes flicking between the teams. Jason didn’t give them a moment.  
Turning around he screamed out “Go Bulldogs! Ha ha hwaooo.” Scattered throughout the bleachers various fans joined in the howl, and soon Simon and Marco did as well.  


“Hey Jase, haven’t seen ya in forever.” Simon said trying for a noogie. Jason smoothly avoided it, plopping down beside Marco.  


“Been missing you.” Marco said quietly giving Jason a friendly bump on the shoulder.  
Jason smiled softly back. 

Milo didn’t show up during the game. Jason didn’t realize he was holding his breath for it until it didn’t happen. Instead he got to sit with Marco and Simon getting updated on everything that happened since he left. Apparently the chicken they released in the school last year was still running free. It lived in the rafters now, excusing the occasional egg and complaints about chicken shit, people mostly accepted it. Simon would sneak it food when he could. Ms. Maria still hadn’t figured out how lipstick worked, and Coach Breener was still ‘accidently’ going into the girls locker rooms. Everything sounded stable and secure, and Jason passively wondered what it would have been like if he stayed.

The Academy was holding itself well, especially considering the mountains that went to Gotham East. By halftime the two teams were tied. As they ran to their respective sides, the Academy’s team seemed to just barely manage their way off the court. The quarterback pulled off his helmet leaning over to pant into the grass. When he raised his head to scan across the field Jason realized it was Dick. He seemed to be searching for something, and even this far from the field Jason was sure he saw his eyes pass over the crowds and fall. When the game started Jason yelled, screamed and howled along with everyone else, while Gotham East pulled ahead. With only one play left in the game Gotham East’s victory was near assured. Until now Jason had still thought that the Academy could sneak a victory, but this was better with everyone in a joyful mood, the hundreds of Gotham East fans drowning out any dissenters. Jason tucked himself nicely between Marco and Simon waiting for the end. Then it happened, a fumble that was caught and thrown out by the Academy’s linebacker. Dick caught it fingers just grazing the edge of the ball before bringing it to his chest. He started running and running, dodging the defenders with unerring ease, slinking between one and past another, until against all the odds he passed the touchdown line. The crowd was deafeningly silent.

The game was over. He saw Maddy, her little boy on her lap sitting near his moms empty seat.  


“ Where's my mom?” he asked her, already scanning around the field. She looked a bit guilty as she pointed down to the parking lot. Jason ran down cutting through the bustle of people, he made it to the pavement when he saw her. Jason recognized the man she was standing with as an old friend of his dad. Something passed quickly from his hand to hers, and then his fingers wrapped around her delicate wrist pulling her with him to his car. Jason watched her step inside the shiny black Porsche, pulling the door shut behind her, looking back only long enough to see Jason's crestfallen face.

He didn’t bother calling out. A hand reached out and patted his shoulder. Jason turned to see Milo, his eyes soft and pitying.  


“Come on” he said almost gently, “let's go somewhere else.”  
Jason waited for him to ask for money or valuables instead he kept silent and when Jason brought it up he just shook his head. His hand remained at Jason's back guiding him across the field.  


In a rundown apartment by the field a bunch of Gotham east students were holding a party. It was meant to be a celebration but instead everyone was pissed. Angry at the East team and the Academy, especially angry at Dick Grayson who stole their victory right out from under them. At first Milo stuck by Jasons side sipping a drink, but the night wore and all Jason wanted to do was stick himself in a corner, while Milo kept getting pulled away. He drank more than Jason had ever seen him drink, went into a back room and came back bouncing on his toes.  


He got onto a table yelling at the top of his lungs “Fuck Richard Grayson! If I ever see that motherfucker I’ll kill him.” Jason snorted into his glass; Milo hadn't even been at the game and now he was making big declarations. Milo’s eyes zeroed in on him.  
“What’s that, little Academy boy doesn’t think I’d do it?” He jumped down from the table and marched over to him, grabbing a bottle of vodka, and taking a swig. Milo pointed his finger in Jason’s face, until the scowl fell and he hunched over laughing,  
“I’m messing with you man.” He shook the bottle “relax a bit, would you?” 

He held the bottle up to Jason's lips slowly tipping it over. Jason swallowed as much as he could before pulling free leaving some to fall out onto his shirt. Milo and the rest started laughing while Jason sputtered. The taste burned, sticking in the back of his throat.  


“Aww, Jay-Jay can’t take a shot.” Milo said snickering. “Wittle baby Jay.” He was still gagging over the alcohol. Above him all he heard was laughter, echoing around.  
Milo’s hand rested securely on Jason's back, starting in a small soothing circle motion. “Your okay Jay-Jay, it’s alright,” he helped Jason to his feet, and broke out in a smile “Not everyone can swallow like your mama.” Another chorus of laughter. Jason hated vodka. He made to push Milo over and missed by a mile. It brought out another round of laughter. These were meant to be his people, they weren’t dressed better than him, they didn’t talk better than him but they were still looking down at him and laughing. Jason’s face was going red and he ran away from them and the stupid sound of their laughter. He found his way under the bleachers, face flushed, as his head started feeling heavy. A small tear escaped his eye, and another came after it. He curled up against himself everything feeling fuzzy and off. The tears kept falling and he couldn’t stop them, he hated Milo right now more than he hated anyone.

**  
By the time the tears had dried against his cheeks the sun had set. He saw a shadowed body move in his direction and curled himself into a smaller ball under the bleachers. It was Milo finding him again. 

Milo pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket.“You want one?”   
Whatever the alcohol was meant to make Jason feel was officially gone, and now all he felt was cold and bitter. He turned his back. Milo didn’t seem to mind sitting beside him.  
“C’mon jay-jay don’t take everything so seriously.” His words were all slurred over each other. He was a lot more than drunk and Jason didn’t want to know with what.  
Milo’s hand reached out to hold Jason’s own. For a moment they interlocked fingers silently, and then in a single motion he took the lit cigarette and pressed it against Jason's wrist.  


“Aww what the Hell!” Jason called out grabbing at his arm.  
Milo’s eyes were these big glassy orbs, while he looked passively at Jason grasping the burn. Jason already had too many scars he didn’t need another.  


“I’m mad Jason” Milo said, his voice empty. “You left. You left me.” A bit of emotion snuck out, “and” Milo said, his voice still airy while his expression soured “you never brought me a present.”  
This was it Jason told himself, the final straw.  


“I can’t,” Jason started. But that wasn’t true. “I won’t.” I’m not going to take anything.” Jason continued walking backwards as he spoke until his back hit a metal beam. “And you can’t make me.” Milo moved towards him, a darkness entering his expression. Jason closed his eyes waiting for the punch. It didn’t come. Instead, Jason felt warm lips press against his own. 

He tried pulling back only for his head to bang painfully against the metal beam. A hand reached up pulling at his hair and pushing his head deeper into the kiss, while Milo’s teeth began working on his lips. Jason struggled out, smearing his mouth across Milo’s cheek. It didn’t matter that he’d moved, lips, tongue and teeth were pressing against the juncture of his neck. Milo kept on making small gasping noises while his hands moved lower and lower. One cool palm made it under his shirt pressing against his stomach. The shock of cold fingers grabbing at his waist gave Jason the jolt to push him off. Milo fell onto the grass, a hundred emotions quickly passing across his face, hurt, lust, fear, landing finally on anger.  


“Don’t you ever say a word about this Jason.” Milo said, his voice somewhere between desperate and deadly. He scrambled back up moving away and disappearing into the dark, leaving Jason to feel lost in whatever had just happened.  


The pack of cigarettes that had been in Milo’s pocket was now at Jason's feet. He reached for it.   
He wasn’t sure how much time passed. He just grabbed a cigarette, smoked it down to the butt and pulled out another. He’d gone through a chunk of the pack when he heard voices from the other side of the bleachers. 

“There you are.” A voice called out, gruff and angry. “Alfred was worried sick, why didn’t you come home?”  


“Where were you?” A younger voice questioned, instead of answering. It sounded familiar but Jason couldn’t quite place it.  
There was a pregnant pause, and Jason snuck up closer to get a better look at the conversation.  


“Work” the large shadow finally landed on. “I was working Dick, something came up.”  
Jason’s ears perked up at the name, squinting to try and make out the two figures in the dark.  
The smaller figure let out a short mirthless laugh. He would think it was Dick’s if it didn’t sound so angry.  


”Sure, work, work you could only do when I was out of the house. Why don’t you tell the truth for once in your life Bruce!”  


“This isn’t the time,” Bruce said, his voice cool and leveled. His eyes flicked over to where Jason hid seeming to stare straight at him. Jason moved backwards trying to hide further in the dark corner. “And this isn’t the place.” He made to grab Dicks arm, but Dick quickly pulled back. “Come home.” Bruce commanded. 

A staring contest took place between the two of them. Jason couldn’t see the looks they were sending each other but the way Dick tensed under Bruce’s glare had Jason on edge. Finally as if something had been resolved Bruce turned around and marched off leaving Dick behind.  


“We won” Dick called out at the quickly fleeting shadow,“Not that you’d fucking care” he finished under his breath. Dick turned around and once Bruce was out of earshot let out a pent up, frustrated yell. It was unexpected and Jason jumped back in surprise, clanging his head on the metal bleachers. Dick’s head spun over seeing Jason suddenly. His expression quickly went from surprised to angry, “What are you looking at?” he hissed out, walking over to Jason.  


“Nothin’ ” Jason said defensively, jutting out his chin and trying to match Dick in fervor. Jason wasn’t used to an angry Dick and it was all at once frightening and exciting. The cigarette was still hanging from Jason’s lips. Dick walked all the way up to the metal glaring at Jason through the slits in the bleachers. His eyes following the cigarette.  


“ I know you,” Dick said, his voice still laced with anger. “You go to G.A., you hang out with that nerdy kid.” Jason isn’t sure if it's meant to be a question so he stays quiet. Dick gets sick of the silence “Gimme one of those '' he says pointing at the cigarette. Jason feels sceptical but he still reaches into the pack and draws out a single smoke, flicking on the lighter to burn the end. Dicks eyes flash quickly and he reaches out his hand. In one swift motion he grabs the cigarette, puts it to his lips and takes one long deep drag. He then proceeds to hunch over and cough.  
It looks comical, mister perfect choking and sputtering after one puff, but Jason doesn’t feel like laughing.  


“Oh God, those things are rancid.” Dick says, straightening up and holding the cigarette away from him.  


He stares back at Jason, eyes wide like he's not sure what he's meant to do now.   
Jason took pity on him. He took the cigarette from Dick, replacing the one he was smoking now, and letting the spent one fall down to the floor. He looks in the pack reaching for the cleanest, crispest smoke, with the filter fully intact. Looking back at Dick, the new cigarette between two fingers he places it delicately between Dicks lips. His thumb accidentally drawing against the bottom one. Jason then brings up the lighter, flicking it on with a practiced motion. The small flickering flame, lights up Dick’s eyes, and gets caught in his cheeks, showing the sweat that still lingered on his skin from the game. There was also a red bruise forming high on his cheekbone, the fire bringing out all it’s varied oranges, reds, and yellows from Dicks skin.  


“How’d you get that?” Jason whispered, startled that someone like Dick could be hit.  
Dick’s eyes quickly go dark again.  


“None of your business.” He mumbles around the lit smoke. Jason narrows his eyes.  


“Breath in,” Jason tells him, ”slowly.” Dick takes a small breath looking questioningly at Jason. “Don’t try to breathe in too much, just let it stay.” Dick has the smoke in his lungs, and lets it out in a soft breathe, a small cough as the smoke comes out.  


“Um, thanks” Dick says, sounding sheepish now that the anger is gone.  


Jason just shrugs his shoulders, “If you’re trying to rebel, at least do it right.”  
It becomes silent again as Dick contemplatively smokes his first cigarette.  


“So,” Jason starts. He was afraid to talk, but the silence scared him more. “Was that your dad?” The word held too much weight when Jason said it. He wanted to be able to say it casually in a way that invoked throwing a ball around and cookouts, not belts and bruises. 

Dick huffed, "Nah, my dad was a Romani acrobat who couldn’t tell a lie to save his life. That-” Dick said, punctuating his words by pointing his fingers “was Bruce.” He said the name like it was a slur. “He took me in after my parents-” Dick coughed again, Jason didn’t think it was because of the cigarette. “Bruce took me in,” Dick continued, eyes moving around, “when I was a kid."The silence settles back in, as they both assess each other. Dick takes it on himself to break it. 

"I had been shuffled through a couple foster homes before that. Then Bruce showed up and brought me to his mansion with his butler, asking for me by name. Honestly I thought he’d just heard about me from the news and was going to give me back once he got bored of trying to raise a kid .” He paused to blow out a puff of smoke. Jason didn’t know why he was telling him this, they barely knew each other, but he also desperately wanted to hear it. Anything to not have to listen to his own thoughts. “I think it wasn’t until I broke that second chandelier that I realized he really wasn’t going to send me away.” 

He kept talking, telling Jason about a reclusive billionaire, who would lose his head if Dick got a B, but probably couldn’t figure out how to tie his own shoes if he had too. He was expressive when he talked, hands moving around creating obscure shapes in the air with the lit end of the smoke. 

It occurred to Jason that the way Dick looked now, sweat in his hair, bruise on his cheek, with the lit cigarette in his hand made him just like any other kid Jason might expect to see in the Narrows. Jason wasn’t sure why but he hated that thought. Dick had gone silent, he was staring at Jason a small smile playing against his lips. Jason just noticed, having been lost in his own thoughts, and he suddenly turned back to face Dick.  


“That’s quite the hickey you’ve got there,” Dick said, half laughing staring at Jason’s neck. Jason’s hand shot up, his eyes going wide. For a moment he’d been allowed to forget what had happened, now it all rushed back to him. 

“I-” Jason said, tripping over himself while he tried to stand. “I think I need to go home.” He put some distance between him and Dick, seeing more clearly the metal seats that kept them separate. “I’m going home” Jason repeated, trying to reign in his nerves and sound normal.  


“Oh, Ok” Dick said taken back. Jason rushed off, while Dick watched him go.


End file.
